Safety Concerns

Media: "How do you feel about the safety position?"
Mike Zimmer: "I feel good about Harrison."
Media: "The other?"
Mike Zimmer: "Fluid."

That pretty much sums up the Minnesota Vikings safety position since Harrison Smith was drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Smith looked like a defensive cornerstone player his rookie season and has improved each season since. His play so far this season might be the best in the league at the position. The play at the other safety spot has been "fluid." Inconsistent works as well. Robert Blanton and Andrew Sendejo have each started at safety opposite Smith since Mike Zimmer was hired as head coach in January 2014. Both have had some solid moments and some not-so-solid moments. Both have tackled well in the run game. That's good. Both have been out of position or slow to get where they need to be on passes intermediate and deep. That's not so good. Neither has run with the opportunities given to them. These are the safety concerns in Minnesota.

Blanton, Sendejo, and Antone Exum are the safeties not named Harrison Smith on the Vikings 53-man roster. Exum has yet to convince Zimmer, defensive coordinator George Edwards, and defensive backs coach Jerry Gray that he's ready for game action. A sixth round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Exum is the most athletic of the Vikings options at safety. It sounds like his effort and/or dedication might not have been what it should have been as a rookie last year. That set him back. He took strides to improve this past offseason and since but still does not have the complete confidence of the coaches. The Vikings added Anthony Harris as an undrafted free agent in May. He had a terrific college career at Virginia but his slight frame might have knocked him down draft boards but it was a surprise to see him fall out of the draft entirely. He's currently on the Vikings practice squad. Also on the practice squad is former Chicago Bear Brock Vereen. The Bears released Vereen in their defensive purge of a couple weeks ago. He was originally a fourth round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Minnesota. He started four games for the Bears as a rookie but apparently fell out of favor with a new coaching staff. The Vikings signed him to their practice squad as soon as he cleared waivers. Both Harris and Vereen look like the rangy, centerfield-type safety that the Vikings might want opposite the versatile Harrison Smith. When asked about Brock Vereen, Zimmer mentioned Anthony Harris. He said that Harris is more likely to get in the mix. Someone has to go if Harris, or Vereen, is added to the active roster.

It's not a good thing to have position issues such as these carry into a season. The good thing is that the Vikings have some solid safeties to put on the field. It wasn't too long ago that the Vikings were starting players at the back of the defense that wouldn't even make this team. They currently have a star in Harrison Smith. He's a player that often plays like he's two players. He makes plays at and behind the line of scrimmage as well as deep in coverage. He's everywhere. Either Robert Blanton or Andrew Sendejo have to start always being where they need to be when they need to be there or Antone Exum, Anthony Harris, or Brock Vereen will have their shot at the job. Exum is the next man up and his time could come any week. Even this one. Someone has to step up or finding a safety that can will be the team's top need in the offseason.